Val Gardena a 5 star resort! -- Also for the current season 2004/05 Val Gardena was honored by the known German website www.skiresort.de with 5 stars, as one of the most beautiful skiresorts of the world!

Ortisei, with its old and solid mercantile tradition and rich history, has a layout that blends harmoniously with the landscape. The centre and its pedestrian area are wonderful meeting places and also ideal for shopping. Santa Cristina's special vitality can be felt in its square and the most modern

and friendly hotels or in the solitary farms of "Plesdinaz". Selva Gardena's high standard of hospitality is famous: from 5-star hotel accommodation to private lodgings and apartments with every comfort.

Val Gardena, the heartland of the Ladin culture, is about thirteen miles long and runs more or less from west to east from the narrow entrance to the valley at Ponte Gardena to Selva Gardena at the end of the valley and up to Passo Gardena and Passo Sella. The lowest point is located at 470 m above sea-levd, while the highest is Sassolungo (3,181 m).

Restaurants in Val GardenaGastronomic delights in Val Gardena are plentiful. There is an abundence of quality restaurants for you to sample the local Tirolean cuisine.
The culinary pleasures of Val Gardena are many and varied. Above all they are as international as the visitors to the valley, combining the finesse of Italian cuisine with traditional fare and local dishes. So this is another aspect in which Val Gardena has something for everyone to enjoy.

Val Gardena, the heartland of the Ladin culture, is about thirteen miles long and runs more or less from west to east from the narrow entrance to the valley at Ponte Gardena to Selva Gardena at the end of the valley and up to Passo Gardena and Passo Sella. The lowest point is located at 470 m above sea-levd, while the highest is Sassolungo (3,181 m).

The Dolomites are a section of the Alps. They are located to equal parts in the provinces of South Tyrol, Trentino and Belluno (all in northern Italy) and extend from the Adige river in the west to the Piave valley (Cadore) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Pustertal (valley of the Rienz) and the Val Sugana.

The region is commonly divided into the Western Dolomites and the Eastern Dolomites separated by the line Val Gardena - Campolongo pass - Cordevole valley (Agordino). The name Dolomites is derived from the famous French mineralogist Deodat de Dolomieu (1750 -1801) who was the first to describe the mineral Dolomite which is responsible for the characteristic shapes of these great limestone mountains.

The ladin language

WOODCARVINGS
of Val Gardena

History of Val Gadena

Groeden in German, and Gherdeina in Ladin - means "fence".

Activ in Val gardena

The woodcarving has always been an important part of the val gardenian culture. This tradition goes back to the time around 1600, when the peasants living in the valley started to manufacture first utensils, then artcrafts during the long, cold winter evenings.

They were then selling their work at the annual spring fairs . Today this tradition is kept up by talented woodcarvers that maniufacture objects, which on one hand remind us of ancient times, but on the other hand adapt perfectly to modern taste

The name Val Gardena is first recorded in a deed of gift from the year 999, when Duke Otto von Andechs made the Bishop of Freising a present of an area of woodland called "Forestum ad Gredine". Val Gardena - Groeden in German, and Gherdeina in Ladin - means "fence".

The shops around Val Gardena are plentiful and varied. High fashion is in constant demand, so forget Milan! You will also find food stores, sports shops, novelty stores, galleries, art and craft shops as well as many specialist shops.

The area also has numerous bars, pubs and clubs to keep you entertained from the moment you step off the slopes until the small hours.

Wintersports in Val Garden

Summersports in Val Gardena

In the midst of fairy-tale scenery, endless white pistes ensure that winter sports fans experience something special. Val Gardena is recognised the world over as a winter sports destination. The area is formed by three principle villages: Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva Gardena. Ortisei, with its old and solid mercantile tradition and rich history, has a layout that blends harmoniously with the landscape.

The Dolomites are one of the most beautiful excursion areas in the Alps. An endless number of safety-equipped climbing paths, high-mountain itineraries and a network of well-marked trails will entice you to take magnificent excursions, but also relaxing walks with the entire family. The wide variety of flora and the region’s geological features are world famous.
Those who aren’t only motivated by the sheer pleasure of walking or a love for the mountains, and want a more sports-oriented challenge, can earn the “Cristal d’Or” excursion award in gold, silver, bronze or crystal. Everyone is a winner! And all without a car! Use the Gardena Card
to easily reach the starting point for your excursions by bus and with lift systems.

The slopes and pists:12 skiing areas are united under the Dolomiti Superski umbrella. The joy of skiing in a unique landscape and a ski pass that is valid for the entire area bring the 12 Dolomite skiing pearls together. There is thus a guarantee of variety, change and fantastic experiences on the slopes.VAL GARDENA:Every year the downhill specialists inaugurate the World Cup season in the Val Gardena. Saslonch, Cir, Ciampinoi and Seceda are well known names amongst winter sportspeople. Like organ pipes emerging from a landscape of lights, the Dolomites in the Sella group around the Sassolungo, Sciliar, Odle and Puez, keep watch over the Alpe di Siusi and Val Gardena. At the foot of these mountains the most beautiful downhill runs start and this is the departure point for the Sellaronda, 175 kilometres of skiing slopes and an hourly capacity rate from the lifts that allow you to enjoy skiing to the full. Choose between ValGardena and the Alpe di Siusi.